FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
With a bronze medal in the World Cup, Zelimkhan Abakarov, a wrestler with Albanian citizenship, does not want to stop here, but aims for an Olympic medal for the first time in history. In fact, this World Cup had this main goal, to secure a ticket to Paris. In an interview for Neës24, for the Sport News show moderated by Trevisa Tufa, Abakarov expressed his conviction that this objective is possible, while the president of the Wrestling Federation, Sahit Prizreni, called on the state to wake up, react, support wrestling as they are very close to a historic achievement:
- Abakarov, this time you return to Albania with a bronze medal, do you regret not being able to defend the title of world champion, or is this a great achievement?
I don't regret getting bronze medals. The champion title is more difficult to keep than to win it for the first time, so I say that everything went according to plan. I don't regret anything, on the contrary, I will try to perform better in the future.
Sahit, it's not that Albania often wins medals at the World Cup, it was the first time with Abakarov, but they expected a lot again. It would be perfect to defend the title in Belgrade...
The truth is that we went to the World Cup as world champions, in reality the aim was to repeat history, but deep down the mission was to qualify for the Olympics since it was also the first qualifying competition, the competition with the largest number, where only The top 5 in the world enter the Olympic norm. What the Federation, the Albanian state has done for Zelimi, he returned by doing his best. The Olympic norm after three Olympics is a great achievement as the last time Albania participated in the Olympics was in 2008, so Zelim is the one who is giving us hope, not only for wrestling, but for Albania, to give it what this country lacks, Olympic medals. I am convinced that Zelimi will achieve it.
Abakarov, can you tell me something more about the mark under the eye?
I got the mark (hematoma) in my eye during the first fight with the Canadian, we accidentally hit each other with the head and the mark remained.
Abakarov, you have become a little more Albanian this period, how is life in Tirana, do you know more now, how do people expect you?
I like life in Tirana, I have the conditions to live and train. As far as I have noticed, there are many people in the city who know me.
The last time I interviewed you, you had a gold medal around your neck, now a bronze, what are your goals now, what do you expect from the future?
Last year I won the champion title, while this time luck was not with me, but the main goal is the Olympic Games in Paris and we managed to win a ticket. Next, I will continue the preparation for the Olympic Games in Paris.
Sahit, ka ndryshuar diçka pasi i sollët Shqipërisë një medalje ari, tani bronz në Botëror, ka ndryshuar qasje shteti ndaj Mundjes?
Impakti që Zelimi i ka sjell vendit dhe në veçanti mundjes, ka qenë i jashtëzakonshëm. Fatkeqësisht qasja nuk ka qenë ajo e duhura, sepse vetëm kur mendojmë që jemi në prag të Lojërave Olimpike dhe aktualisht nuk kemi një program për këta sportist që e kanë dëshmuar vjet, tashmë këtë vit janë më normë olimpike, e kanë dëshmuar që këta janë pretendënt për t’i sjellë Shqipërisë atë që i ka munguar, atë që nuk e ka bërë kurrë. Shoh një përgjumje në fakt. Ne sot kemi ardhur si pretendent kryesor, pasi kemi mundur kampionin e botës në fuqi, një nga sportistët më të mirë në botë. Tani i mbetet shtetit të zgjohet, të bëjë një projekt të posaçëm, jo vetëm për Zelimin. Fatkeqësisht nuk e kam dëgjuar, nuk shoh një qasje që kjo të ndodh, por mbetem me shpresë. Ne si Federatë do të bëjmë të pamundur që rrugëtimi i Zelimit për në Paris të jetë më i miri i mundshëm, por ju siguroj që do të jetë e vështirë nëse na lejnë vetëm.
-Sahit, na mungon vetëm një medalje në Lojërat Olimpike, a mund të arrijë Abakarov këtë objektiv, çfarë i duhet mundjes kuqezi dhe Abakarovit për të siguruar medalje olimpike?
Sporti ka nevojë për projekte, sporti ka nevojë për para, që ne si drejtues të Federatës t’i mundësojmë rrugëtimin djemve që ata të na sjellin atë që kanë. Nuk kam asnjë dyshim që Zelimi është mes modelistëve olimpik. Dihet që sporti ka ato të papriturat e sajë, por ajo që kam parë te Zelimi është e jashtëzakonshme, i ka sjellë Shqipërisë rreth dhjetë medalje në dy vite. Pjesëmarrja në Olimpiadë, sigurimi i bursës olimpike na mbush me shpresë, me besim që mund t’ia dalim. Tani na mbetet neve që këtij djali t’i mundojmë kushtet që në Paris2024 t’i sjell medalje Shqipërisë.
Si është qasja e brezit të ri për sportin e mundjes?
This is a very delicate question. We have a big problem, as it is a national problem. The fact that our boys leave as soon as they turn 17-18 years old, and this is a disaster I say with regret. We are doing our best for our boys to have the facilities to train, to have qualified coaches. There are some gyms that have been renovated, this is for the federation and friends of the federation, not the state, I must emphasize, not the state. This is their duty, that of the state, municipalities, or ministries. I call on our youth to approach sports, if we have to create the conditions.
Lini një Përgjigje